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<baltimore-city-law heading="§ 15 General Counsel.">
  <section prefix="§" num="15" heading="General Counsel.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Authority to employ.">The City Council may employ the services of an independent General Counsel.  The selection and employment of the General Counsel shall be consistent with &lt;cite data-path="III|§15"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;, as supplemented by the Rules of the City Council.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Qualifications.">The General Counsel:<para num="(1)">must be a member of the Maryland Bar;</para>
      <para num="(2)">must meet all other qualifications for the position set by the Rules of the City Council;</para>
      <para num="(3)">during his or her term, is subject to the Rules of the City Council that generally govern officers and employees of the Council; and</para>
      <para num="(4)">during her or his term, may not engage in any other practice of law unless:<para num="(i)">it is uncompensated and in the nature of community service, such as pro bono advice to or representation of indigent clients; or</para>
        <para num="(ii)">it is on behalf of her- or himself or her or his parent, spouse, or child.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Term.">The General Counsel serves at the pleasure of the City Council.</para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Duties.">As the City Council directs, the General Counsel shall:<para num="(1)">provide independent legal advice to the City Council, its committees, and subcommittees;</para>
      <para num="(2)">assist the City Council in investigations undertaken by the City Council or any of its committees or subcommittees; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">generally serve as attorney for the City Council.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Compensation; Expenses.">
      <para num="(1)">The General Counsel’s compensation shall be at least equal to that of a full-time Chief of the Law Department’s General Counsel Division.</para>
      <para num="(2)">The Board of Estimates shall annually include in the Ordinance of Estimates submitted to the City Council an amount sufficient to fund the General Counsel’s compensation and necessary expenses.</para>
      <para num="(3)">The amount appropriated for the General Counsel’s compensation and expenses shall be in addition to and may not supplant, be deducted from, or serve as a basis for reducing any part of the operating budget of the City Council.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 13-013, ratified Nov. 4, 2014</annotation>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
